Brazilian Black Bean Stew

This citrus-scented stew is an adaptation of feijoada, a Portuguese pork, beef, and bean stew considered by many Brazilians to be the country's national dish. Brazilians customarily serve the stew on Wednesdays and Saturdays with rice, cold cuts, and finely shredded kale.

Directions

Rinse beans. In a large saucepan combine beans and the water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or place beans in water in saucepan. Cover and let soak in a cool place overnight.) Drain and rinse beans. Place beans in a 4-quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Transfer ham hocks to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, use two forks to pull ham away from bones into shreds. Discard bones; return shredded ham to slow cooker. Stir in cilantro.

If desired, serve stew over hot cooked rice.

From the Test Kitchen

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Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.

Reviews (3)

22 Ratings

Jaime1364 Days Ago

I loved this recipe! I used one ham hock and 3 or 4 thick slices of ham. It turned out really well. The whole family enjoyed this recipe.

Kathy Dorce2050 Days Ago

I haven'/t made it yet but I am intrigued by the recipe. It says black bean stew but the picture shows a dish made with red beans, which is what I will use, There is no way there could be any color in the stew other than black (the ham and onions, everything will be black like the beans.) I love the idea about the citrius with the beans and ham hocks. I will write a proper review after I make it.

Marett Keyser2062 Days Ago

This is very deceptive.. Once you have finished the process, there is literally not a single piece of ham on the hock. If you're looking for a stew with shredded ham in it, as pictured, you'll have to add meat somewhere else!!